1

Lab. II: Spinal cord (external and internal morphology)

I. Anatomy of the Spinal Cord 1.

the tough dense connective tissue with the collapsed arachnoid. 2. Pia matter is a thin membrane, intimately adherent to the spinal cord and cover the rootlets of the spinal nerve. 3.

Dura mater and arachnoid mater are reflected laterally,

A. The Posterior (dorsal) view

posterolateral arteries supply the dorsal white column and the posterior of the posterior gray columns. at the dorsolateral sulcus. 4. Posterior rootlets of spinal nerves entering the spinal cord 5. Denticulate ligament is the pia mater between the rootlets extends laterally to attaches to the dura mater B. The Anterior (Ventral) view 1. 2.

Posterior spinal artery is the paired arteries to form the

surface where the anterior spinal artery is located. from the vertebral and intersegmental arteries

Anterior median fissure is a groove on the anterior Anterior spinal artery is the union of the branches

intervertebral foramina. It lies in the anterior median fissure.

through the

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

1.

Anterior

cord at the ventrolateral sulcus. C. The Caudal Part 1. 2. 3.

rootlets of spinal nerves leave the spinal

appears as tapering to the filum terminalae. the conus medullaris to the coccyx.

Conus medullaris is the terminal part of the spinal cord

Filum terminalae is a slender part of the extension from Cauda equina is consisted of dorsal and ventral rootlets

of the lumbar and sacral spinal nerves like a horse tail. II. Cross- section of the Spinal Cord A. appearance as an H-shaped.
1.

Gray matter is the gray or dark area in the specimen Posterior gray column (horn), identify the following parts: Lamina I (posterior marginal nucleus) formed a It receives

thin cap on the apex of the posterior horn.

(1)

synapse from small unmyelinated afferent fibers carrying pain, tickling and prickling sensation. The axons cross to the contralateral side.

formed a pale white area on the posterior horn. It receives

(2) Lamina II (Substantia gelatinosa) and Lamina III

small unmyelinated afferent fibers carrying burning pain, itch,

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

and warmimg.

posterior horn for several segments.

The axons travel up and down is the

received large fibers, carrying light tough. The axons cross to the contralateral side. posterior horn. (4) Lamina V and VI lies at the ventral part of the It receives

(3) Lamina IV (nucleus proprius including lamina III)

lamina VI. It receives a mixture of sensory information. It converges the somatic and visceral input onto lamina V. The pain. The axons from these laminae cross to the contralateral and ascend in the anterolateral system. 2. Intermediolateral gray column

visceral and from muscle into

cells in lamina V contribute to the phenomina of referred

large myelinated afferent fibers from the encapsulated receptors of skeletal muscle and tendon. Its axons terminate in motor neuron of lamina IX. The dorsal nucleus of Clark is located in

Lamina VII (dorsal nucleus of Clark) receives

ventromedial base of the posterior horn of segments C8 L3 is the dorsal spinocerebellar tract that inform to position of

the

and receives from muscle spindle receptor. Its axons ascend limb muscles (proprioception). The nucleus intermediolateral

is on that lateral protuberance of lamina VII (lateral horn).

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

This segment of T1-L2 and S1-4 receive information from both visceral and somatic afferent. 3. Anterior gray column

the ventromedial motor neuron of lamina X.

(1) Lamina VIII The nuclei of lamina VIII surrounds Its fibers are

descended from the descending fibers in the cerebral cortex,

vestibular nuclei, and reticular formation. Its function is to integrate activity in the medial column of motor neuron controlling the axial muscles. (2) Lamina IX in the anterior horn. It contains the

largest multipolar motor neurons for innervation of skeletal muscles. **Lamina X is a commissural area surround the

central canal
1.

B. White matter (1)

Dorsal (posterior) funiculus gracilis carry

fasciculus

Fasciculus gracills and cuneatus. The axons in the proprioception, two-point

discrimination, and vibration sense from the lower extremity to the brainstem and thalamus for relay into the somatic dorsal root ganglion of T6 and below.

sensory of cerebral cortex. The cell bodies are located in the fasciculus cuneatus are said to carry the same sensory
Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

The axons in the

information from the upper extremity.

located in the dorsal root ganglion above T6. The two tracts are referred to as the dorsal column system. forming a cap over lamina I. Zone of Lissauers tract. 2. Lateral funiculus

The cell bodies are

(2) Dorsolateral fasciculus is the thin band of fibers, It is respresented the

fasciculus closed to the surface of the cord. The cell bodies of origin for this tract are located in the dorsal nucleus of Clarke which extended from C8-L3. The sensory information the lower extremity. (2)

(1) Dorsal spinocerebellar tract is located in the lateral

carried in this tract of the position of individual muscles in Ventral spinocerebellar tract are located just below

the dorsal spinocerebellar tract in the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord. Their axons arise from the deeper lamina of the dorsal horn. It cross the midline from the contralateral side. (3)

contains the axons of pyramidal tract. It crossed the midline in the medulla to from the lateral corticospinal tract. It lies posterior spinocerbellar tract.

Lateral corticospinal tract is a descending tract

lateral to the posterior gray column and medial to the in the ventral horn (lower motor neuron: LMN). The lateral

It controls the motor neurons

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

corticospinal fibers are referred to as upper motor neuron: UMN. (4) Spinothalamic tract lies deep to the inferior It carries touch sensation (including

spinocerebellar tract.

dorsal column), pain and temperature. 3. Anterior funiculus (1)

to the anterior gray column. gravity.

Ventrolateral vestibulospinal tract lies just ventral It maintains posture against

extensor muscles and inhibition of motor neurons to flexor muscles. (2) Ventral corticospinal tract influences the medial

Its function in facilitation of motor neurons to

motor columns of the ventral horn in controlling the axial musculatures. (3) Medial vestibulospinal tract (or MLF) is involved

in coordinating movement of the neck and head with the eye the midline of the brainstem called MLF. tract. As it is entered

position. Its axons join other fibers to form the tract along the spinal cord, it is referred to as medial vestibulospinal

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich

Neuroanatomy, ANA 225-2-2554: Noppawon Poulpanich